Super Mario Odyssey is a homecoming. Many have argued about what Mario games are and aren’t sequels to Mario 64. It’s never been cut and dry, with Sunshine’s F.L.U.D.D or Galaxy’s linear level design changing up the formula drastically. It’s safe to say that Odyssey is the Super Mario 64 sequel we’ve all been waiting for.
Odyssey follows the standard story formula that we’ve seen many times before in Mario games but with a unique twist. Bowser has once again captured Peach, but this time he’s taking it to the next level by planning a wedding. Of course, he’s reaping havoc all along the way. After Bowser destroys Mario’s hat, Mario teams up with Cappy and off they go in Mario’s new ship, the Odyssey, to rescue Peach and Cappy’s little sister, Tiara. There’s nothing particularly great or terrible about the story, but that’s never been what Mario is about.
Mario’s main new move is the cap throw and its many uses. A simple tap of the Y button will have Mario flinging Cappy at enemies, making it a useful form of attack. If you hold the Y button, Cappy will spin in place and become a platform for Mario to jump off of. This simple move becomes more elaborate though motion controlled gestures that change the straightforward throw into everything from far-reaching spin attacks to platforms for Mario to hop on and off of.
Cappy’s main trick though is the ability to capture enemies, allowing you to control them. Series mainstay enemies such as Chain Chomps, Goombas and Bullet Bills are are a blast to play as, but Odyssey takes it to the next level with t-rexs, rocket ships and even a human man! There’s an amazing sense and feeling of discovery when you throw your cap and unexpectedly capture something, and it’s guaranteed to have you throwing your cap at everything.
Mario and Cappy go about their adventure searching for power moons to power up the Odyssey in various kingdoms to progress. Think of power moons like stars in Mario 64, but much more plentiful. Some moons can be very easy to obtain, such as simply sitting on top of a pole. Others can be devilishly tricky, such as elaborate platforming challenges, and puzzles that take you across kingdoms to discover. The great part is that there is enough variety in the ways to acquire moons that you’ll never get bored or feel forced to do the same types of things over and over. Each kingdom is totally unique, with different people and creatures to meet, fight and to capture, as well as boss battles.
The one off thing about this game is the motion controls. Their implementation is sloppy at best with the Switch’s multiple control styles. When playing the game in docked mode and having joy cons in each hand, the motion controls are fine and work as intended, but when the joycons are attached directly to the Switch, Nintendo expects you to shake and swing your entire console around. It feels bad, and it often doesn’t work properly in this fashion. In addition, the pro controller also feels off while performing the shakes and swings required of the motion controls. The worst problem of all is the fact that some of the moves (such as the swirling cap throw) can only be done with motion controls. This means you have to choose when playing undocked or with a pro controller to suffer through with the frustrating motion controlled moves, or just not use them at all.
Recommendation: Despite it’s one glaring flaw, Odyssey is a masterpiece. It’s clear Nintendo has not only put a lot of love into this game, but also thoughtful consideration into every last detail. It makes sure to pay homage to Mario’s past, but also modernizes the platforming genre. It doesn’t matter if it’s your very first video game, or if you’re a tried and true Mario veteran, Super Mario Odyssey is a classic and will go down as one of the greatest games of all time.
